The pub was operating under a Beer License in 1872 and was owned by (John
Brenchley) John Courtney Stacy, John Ramsbottom Isherwood, Chas Marshall
Foster, Lowes Brewery Maidstone.

From the Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser, 2 December, 1856.

INFORMATION AGAINST PUBLICANS.

The following publicans and beershop-keepers were convicted of having
their houses open after hours of closing, on the night of Saturday, the
15th inst. The cases were proved by Superintendent-constable Everist and
Constables Bridges and Hulse.

William Gascoyne, "Carpenter's Arms," beershop, Skinner Street, Chatham.
The defendant was unable to appear through illness, but his wife
attended.

Fined 20s., and 18s. 6d. costs.

The penalties were paid.

From the Kentish Chronicle, 30 July 1859. Price 1 ˝d.

THURSDAY. ATTEMPTED MURDER AT CHATHAM

Burgess Masters was charged with attempting to
murder James Wilkins, a Royal Marine, in Skinner-street, Chatham on
Sunday, the 19th June last.

From the evidence of prosecutor, it appeared that
he was 24 years of age, and had been in the corps of Royal Marines five
years. He first saw the prisoner last March, when he arrived from South
America, at the “Carpenters Arms” beer-house, where the prosecutor was
lodging. About six weeks ago he saw the prisoner again at a house in
which he was lodging, next door to the “Carpenters' Arms,” The prisoner
was making a disturbance there, and prosecutor went in. Prisoner was in
the kitchen with a poker in one band, and holding a woman named Matilda
Simpkins, with his left. The landlord took the poker away from him.
After prisoner had been deprived of the poker he struck at prosecutor,
and they both scuffled and fell. As they were lying on the floor
prisoner said, "I'll be one with you yet.” He never saw prisoner again
until the 18th June, when, as prosecutor was walking down High-street
with the woman Simpkins, at about half-past ten, prisoner came and
tapped him on the arm, I and then walked away without speaking.
Prosecutor left the woman, crossed over to where the prisoner was and
asked him what he touched him on the shoulder for? Prisoner replied that
he was not aware that it was him. After having some beer at the
“Carpenters' Arms,” prosecutor and the woman went into the next house.
The bedroom window was closed, and the shutters, but the latter was not
fastened. Prosecutor could remember nothing that occurred daring the
night until awoke by the woman speaking to him, when he found that his
throat had been cut, and that he was covered with blood. The window
shutters and window were open. A surgeon was sent for, and prosecutor
was taken to Melville Hospital, where he remained three weeks. He had
known the female about five years, but had never lived with her. He did
not know till he came home that Simpkins bad been living with the
prisoner; she told him that the same day she saw him. In reply to his
question she said she was not married to the prisoner. Another marine
took prosecutor to the house where she was lodging. He first saw her at
a beer-house on the Brook, and had six pots of ale there; they then went
to the “Running-Horse” and also
to the “Wheat Sheaf,”
at each of which they had some more liquor. They were both drunk.

Matilda Simpkins said she had been married about
five or six years, but did not know whether her husband was now alive;
he was a private marine. She had known the prisoner about two or three
years, and he had lived with her a portion of that time. After Wilkins
had come home prisoner frequently came to her. On the night after
Wilkins came home prisoner struck witness and accused her of having been
with Wilkins. On another occasion he struck her because she had drunk
with Wilkins. On the night of the 18th June she and the prosecutor went
to bed between 11 and 12 o'clock. Early the next morning she was awoke
by feeling something wet on her face, which she found was blood. The
window was open. She ran out of the room and called in Mr. and Mrs.
Gascoigne, as she thought Wilkins was dying. Witness had not heard
anyone about during the night. There was no knife or razor to be seen in
the room. Some of the flower-pots in the room were knocked over. There
were other lodgers in the home. The back door was not fastened. There is
a cellar to the house, and this leads up into the room in which witness
slept. The chain of the cellar window leading from the street was found
on the next morning to be unfastened. A man could not get down that way.
On the cellar being searched on the following morning, a candlestick and
candle were found there. On the previous night the candle was on the
table in the room. She locked her bed-room door when she went to bed,
and it was found locked the next morning. The Cellar door was shut at
night but was open the next morning.

Caroline Gascoigne, wife of the landlord of the
“Carpenter's Arms,” Skinner-Street, stated that she remembered Wilkins
and the last witness being at her house on the night of the 18th of
June. While Wilkins was sitting in the bar, waiting for the last
witness, witness saw a man, whom she supposed to be Masters, go through
the yard of the house into that of next door. The best of her belief it
was the prisoner. She did not speak to him. He was dressed as a sailor.
About half-past 9 prisoner told witness he was going down to look for
Ann; (meaning the woman Simpkin). About 10 o'clock witness met him again
in the street, he was alone. Prisoner told her he had been unable to
find Ann, and that he supposed that she would sleep with the marine. On
returning home she found the marine Wilkins and Simpkin there. Witness
said to her, “Do you know if Masters is in?” to which she replied
“That's all right.” Witness told Wilkins he had better not go there that
night, but he went. About daylight the following morning witness was
awoke and told that the marine had had his throat cut. She immediately
went in and saw the marine sitting on the edge of the bed covered with
blood. There was also a great deal of blood over the female, Witness
called her husband and then went for a surgeon. Prisoner and Wilkins had
differed.

John Wilson, master at arms, on board H.M.S. Queen
Charlotte, Sheerness, received a description of the prisoner from
Captain Harvey on Jane 20. On the 4th of July 17 men were received on
board the monarch from London. On the men being mustered the prisoner's
name was on the list, and he answered. Witness took him to another part
of the dock and questioned him, and from the answers he gave witness
took him into custody.

Mr. E. A. Steddy, surgeon, found prosecutor on the
bed with a severe cut in his throat, the windpipe being laid open. The
wound was about four inches in length, straight across, and had the
appearance of having been inflicted with not a very sharp knife. The
prosecutor was taken to the Melville Hospital directly a stretcher could
be procured. No important vessel or nerve was hurt. The extent of the
wound on the windpipe was no more than would have been the case if a
surgical operation had been performed on the windpipe.

William Stephen Gascoigne, keeper of the
“Carpenter's Arms” beer house, had known the prisoner about a year.

About 9 o'clock on the Saturday night before the
attempted murder, prisoner was crossing the yard to go to his own house.
He asked witness if “Ann” should come in, to tell her he would not be
long. The Marine and the female Simpkin, came into the house at about 11
o'clock, and left after having a put of beer. They were both the worse
for liquor. On being informed what had occurred, witness went into the
house next door early the next morning, and saw the prosecutor bleeding
from a wound in the throat. The window of the room was open. Witness
remembered, about five or six weeks before the occurrence, seeing the
prisoner standing over the woman Simpkin with a poker, and attempting to
strike her; he assisted in taking the poker from him. On one occasion
witness had heard prisoner say he would “be one with Wilkins yet.”

[We had not received the conclusion on this case
when we went to press.]

This pub is one in the list of my "Project 2014."

I will be adding the historical information when I find or are sent it,
but this project is a very big one, and I do not know when or where the
information will come from.